Chang's Counterattack
by Mariko Azrael
Summary: Albert is lost in his own misery and self-doubt. Chang has a low tolerance for angst. [Chang X Albert friendship]


Title: Chang's Counterattack  
Genre: Gen, angst, humor, take your pick  
Rating: G  
Summary: Chang takes care of his family  
Disclaimer: Shotaro Inshinomori's, not mine 

As much as Albert would've liked to mourn for the life and the love he had lost, he simply didn't have the time anymore. His waking hours were now spent fighting for his life, and waiting to see when he would have to fight for his life again. There was the occasional slow day, which was usually spent trying to keep his teammates from going insane. Jet and his temper alone was enough to keep him busy for the rest of the day. It wasn't until the day was over, and he was left alone that he realized that he really **was** alone, and the grief became strong enough to overwhelm him. 

He had tried reading, but he kept waiting for her to sneak up behind him, wrapping her thin but strong arms around him lovingly. He then tried sleeping, but kept expecting to see her face whenever he turned over. So now he was sitting on the corner on his bed, trying to concentrate on breathing, but even that was proving to be difficult without her. 

"Three." Chang stood in the doorway, tapping his foot impatiently. He was trying to scowl, but with his round and friendly features, he wound up looking only like a cartoonish parody of anger. 

Albert couldn't help himself. "What about her?" he deadpanned. 

"Ha, ha. Listen to the funny cyborg." The chef stomped into his quarters, his chubby hands fisted up and to his sides. "This is the third time this week you've missed dinner." 

"Jet's missed dinner more then I have." It honestly didn't seem immature until he said it out loud. 

"Jet always winds up eating the leftovers a few hours later," Chang replied smugly. So you can either come up with an excuse--- which I won't believe, by the way, or you can tell me why you've decided to starve yourself to death." 

Albert sighed heavily, feeling his years. All of them. He didn't want to talk about it, but he supposed it was no worse then what he had been doing before. "I miss her, obviously. But..." 

"But what?" Chang's indignation over Albert's lack of appetite was long forgotten now, replaced by honest concern for his friend. 

"But it's more then that. Ze---Chang, I've done things that when I was still human, it would make me ill just thinking about it." Albert looked up briefly at the sixth cyborg, and for the first time noticed that his eyes were dark and intense. "It didn't really bother me when I did it, I thought I didn't have any choice. Maybe I was right. ...But it doesn't seem that way now." He paused, taking in an unusually ragged breath. "If Hilda saw me like this, I doubt she'd recognize me, and not just because of..." He waved the fingers of his gun hand at Chang, letting it speak for him. 

Chang stared at him for what seemed to Albert for a very long time, stroking his thin mustache thoughtfully. Then, with a lot more speed then he ever thought him capable of, he grabbed his left wrist. 

"I beg your pardon?" 

"You pulse is still there." Chang sounded inexplicably pleased with the discovery. 

"Which means...?" 

"Which means," he continued, tapping Albert on the chest, "somewhere underneath all those wires and tin, you still have a heart." His features softened even more (if that was possible), taking Albert's hand into his own. "The fact that you're beating yourself up over this just proves that you're still the man she fell in love with. You're still Albert Heinrich. It's just, on certain occasions, you've been known to shoot bullets out of your right hand and rockets out of your knees." 

"And I have a knife in my left hand." 

"Hm?" 

"My left hand. They put a knife in it." 

"Did they now?" Chang was smiling brightly, but he let go of Albert's hand in what Albert supposed he supposed was a nonchalant manner. "Well, you can put it to good use when you have your share of the leftovers." 

Standing up and moving turned out to be a lot easier then Albert thought it would be. "Don't you think Jet will be a little disappointed?" 

The doors hissed shut behind Chang as they headed towards the galley. "Don't worry, there's more then enough for both of you. I make sure to take care of my family." 

"Yes, you do." 


End file.
